Review: The Boy Who Changed the World

Great Gift Book, Weak Story Book



The Boy Who Changed the World

I was looking forward to reading this book out to my 5-year old from the time I ordered it. After reading the book, I had a mixed feeling.

First of all, I won't call it a story book in the usual sense. It's more of a short message. The core message is very powerful - Everything You Do Matters. Every action we take in our life, even a little one, can make a BIG difference. A small action of one person can have a "ripple effect" (or butterfly effect) on others who may go on to change the world in a big way.

The book claims to be an "engaging tale", but I disagree with that. It's too short to engage anyone. While I agree that the message is powerful, the story didn't touch my heart. It lacked the elements of a good story - the characters are not well drawn out, there are no emotions, no plot (conflict, climax etc.) and no "sticky" factor at all. I wonder if kids would even remember the message for long, to have a lasting effect on their lives. Moreover, the story is so convoluted that I doubt whether children below 8 would even understand it. Unless parents or guardians help reinforce the message (from this book) in other ways, the message may not seep into the children.

The far as the illustrations are concerned, the book is wonderful with lots of colors and pictures all throughout. It has a nice texture, and the overall quality is outstanding. As an adult, holding it in my hand made me feel nostalgic. It would make a great gift!

So, while I agree that the message in the book is really powerful and true, the book isn't really effective in reinforcing that message into children. In summary, it's a great gift book, but a weak story book.

My rating: 2/5

P.S.: I received this book free of cost from Thomas Nelson Inc. under their Book Sneeze program. I would like to thank them for offering me the opportunity to review this wonderful book.